Signalling lamps



Oct. 29, 1957 s. A. cooK 2,811,714

SIGNALLING LAMPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 16, 1954 Oct. 29, 1957Filed July 16, 1954 SIGNALLING LAMPS S. A. COOK 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct.29, 1957 s. A. COOK SIGNALLING LAMPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 16,1954 United States Patent Q SIGNALLING LAMPS Sidney Arthur Cook,Shirley, Birmingham, England, assignor to Aldis Brothers Limited,Birmingham, England Application July 16, 1954, Serial No. 443,929

Claims priority, application Great Britain November 5, 1953 1 Claim.(Cl. 340-366) This invention relates to signaliinglarnps for military,naval, and other uses, of the kind comprising the combination of a lightsource, a reflector, means for interrupting the light, and a sightingdevice mounted on the body of the lamp.

The object of the invention is to enable the required focussing of thelight source relatively to the reflector, and the adjustment of the axisof the light beam into parallel relationship with the axis of thesighting device, to be effected in a convenient manner.

The invention comprises a construction in which the light source and thereflector are individually adjustable relatively to the body of thelamp.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of asignalling lamp of the kind to which the invention relates. Figures 2and 3 are respectively a sectional side elevation, and a sectional frontelevation on the line 3-3 (Figure 2), of the portion of the lampembodying the invention. Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional sideelevation of one of the reflector fastenings.

Referring to the drawings, the body a of the lamp is of hollowcylindrical form and is provided with a handle b at its rear closed end.On the upper side of the body is rigidly mounted a telescope c or othersighting device. Within the body and on its axis is mounted an electricbulb d of spherical form on which is secured a collar e. The front halfof the bulb is provided with an opaque coating or covering 7. Thisapaque coating or covering may be of reflecting material such that thelight rays from the bulb filament are reflected back on to a reflector gin the body in such a way as to contribute to the luminosity of thesignalling light beam. The reflector has formed in its a central holewhich accommodates the bulb holder to be hereinafter described, and alsoa horizontally reciprocable cylindrical shutter h which is operable by atrigger i associated with the handle and is adapted to intercept thelight emitted from the bulb to the reflector.

According to the invention the reflector g is mounted in an annularhousing j on which is formed a spherical supporting zone k whichco-operates with a complementary seating in in the body, the centre ofcurvature of which seating coincides as nearly as possible with thefocal point of the reflector. Alternatively only one of the saidcoacting surfaces is made of spherical form, in which case the othersurface is of conical or other shape capable of coacting with thespherical surface. The reflector housing is secured to the body by anyconveniently arranged screws n which permit angular movement of the saidhousing relatively to its seating for enabling the axis of the reflectorto be adjusted into parallel relationship with the axis of the sightingdevice.

In the example illustrated there are secured at equidistances apart onthe inner side of the part k of the reflector housing, four shallowrectangular sheet metal sockets (Figures 3 and 4), each containing awasher p, and a nut q engageable by the screw it, the adjacent portionof the part k having formed in it a slot 7- (Figure "ice 4) ofsufficient length to permit the desired range of angular movement of thereflector housing on its seating. After the housing has been adjusted soas to bring the reflector to the desired position relatively to the axisof the sighting device, it is rigidly secured by tightening the screwsn.

At the centre of the body and in or behind the hole in the reflector ismounted a disc t which serves as the bulb holder. The disc is carried onthe front ends of three stems u arranged parallel with each other and atequal distances apart around the axis of the body, the rear ends of thestems being secured to the rear end of the body.

The front ends of the stems (which are of reduced diameter and are screwthreaded) pass through holes in the disc, and are provided withcylindrical nuts v which bear on the front face of the disc, springs wbeing also provided on the stems in contact with the rear side of thedisc.

By actuation of the nuts the disc t can be conveniently adjusted foraccurately focussing the bulb filament relatively to the reflector,either along the axis or in any direction at right angles to the axis.To enable the nuts to be secured after adjustment, screw threadedlocking plugs x are inserted into their front ends into contact with thestems.

For attaching the collar e on the bulb to the disc I there are attachedto a fixed hollow part 2 the inner ends of stems on which are carriedsprings z. These stems pass through the disc t and are provided withheads at their outer ends. The collar 2 has formed in it key-hole slotswhich can be engaged with the stems, for securing the collar between theheads and the disc t under the action of the springs z.

The bulb is of the pre-focus type, and after it has been placed inposition, the nuts v are manipulated to bring the filament intocoincidence with the focus of the reflector. After this adjustment hasbeen made, the reflector is adjusted to bring the axis of the light beaminto parallelism with the axis of the sighting device.

In the above mentioned part 2 is contained a contact stem 3 againstwhich the complementary contact piece on the bulb can abut. The stem 3is secured to a disc 4 which is loaded by a spring 5, and the rear endof the stem is adapted for the attachment thereto of one of a pair ofwires by which electric current is supplied to the bulb. The bulbcircuit is controlled by a switch (not shown) which is operable by asecond trigger 6.

The trigger-operated shutter h is mounted around the bulb carrying stemsu and is arranged to extend through the central hole in the reflector.

The mechanism employed for reciprocating the shutter in response tomanipulation of the trigger i is already known and forms no part of thepresent invention. It consists essentially of an arm 8 loaded by aspring 9 and mounted on a pivot spindle 10. This arm is movable againstthe action of the spring by a roller 11 on the inner end of an extension12 of the trigger i. To the arm 8 is secured a stirrup 13 which engageslugs 14 on the sides of the shutter. The range of oscillatory movementof the arm 8 is restricted by stops 15.

By this invention the required adjustment of the reflector can beeffected in a very simple and convenient manner without disturbing theadjustment of the light source which has previously been carried out asa separate operation.

The invention is not, however, limited to the example above described asembodiment constructional details may be varied to suit requirements.Thus, an electric arc may be used instead of an electric bulb as thelight source. .Moreover, the shutter may be dispensed with, in whichcase the signalling is effected by actuation of the trigger 6 whichcontrols the current supply to the bulb.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

A signalling lamp comprising in combination a hollow body part having aseat therein, a sighting device mounted on said body part, a holder foralight source adjustably mounted within said body part, a reflectorarranged to permit the light source to be brought into coincidence withthe focal point of said reflector by adjustment of said holder, ahousing carrying said reflector and having a supporting zone which iscomplementary, to and cooperates with said seat for adjustably:supporting said housing and reflector within said body part, and meansfor interrupting the emission of light from said source, at least one ofthe partsformed by said supporting zone and seat being of spherical formand having its centre of curvature substantially coincident with thefocal point 4 of said reflector so that, after adjustment of said holderto bring said light source into coincidence with said focal point, saidreflector can be adjusted to bring its axis into parallel relationshipwith that of said sighting device without aflecting the relationship ofsaid focal point with said light source.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

